News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-10-27

r be toopld and glum, my Tootseewoot-
see: see mutt 'tum and play wiz ee, my
n precious, muttent see?"
Henceforward I fought my battle
d alone and subsidized into the long suffer
ing, placid Aunt Hannah, who was sup
h posed "not to mind" the dreary bits of
employment which all the others
shirked.
Just when had struck twenty seven
my rich old gOdmother died, and to my
surprise left me handsome slice of her
fortune, coupling with it the command
that l should take her name in place of
my own. From Hannah Grey L be-
! came, therefore, straightway Hannah
Sinclair. With my new name l further
more asserted my independence, and set
up for myself little house in London.
Ny dear old nurse took the lead in my
household, and the first night that es-
tablished myself by my own fireside,
and started as a free, lone woman, laid
my head on her kness and cried as if my
heart would break. Ailsie asked no
questions, but stroked my head in 81 |
lence. Some people are blessed with an
instructive sympathy and tact. My dear
old Ailsie was one of them. We never |
once alluded to that evening in all the |
long years spent together; but somehow |
1 think she had grasped more than 1
ever guessed.
By degrees my little home became the |.
useful rendezvous of all the family. Ny
hall was many time filled with forbid |
ding looking females, all unsummoned |
by me, bnt "come by appointment to
see Mrs. Grey about the cooks place, |
num- and presently q cab would pull !
up with jerk, and my sister-in-law
would hustle in, dropping down paper
parcels from her arms. $50 sorry, dear,
[ had no time to write, as baby's teeth
bothered him so, but / knew you
misunderstanding women ever answer
ed, so the same ceremony was repeated
many time.
I did not mind the women so much,
but the out of place men servants, l
own, were n trial to me. Frenchmen,
Italians, Germans, Irishmen, all and
sundry. They stood in rows, blocking
up my little hall, and had been sum
moned by mS,niece Edith, to whom her
mother had in most cases thrown the j
Morning Post and heap of half
penny cards, saying, "write to any likely '
ones, and tell them to meet ME to-mor-
row. Aunt Hannah won't mind, and
baby wants me now" I
That little trouble, however, was put S
an end to in this wise One of the men
turned ont to be a notorious burglar,
and an attempt was made on my house,
which failed, owing to the promptitude '
with which Ailsie had struck light in
the basement, whilst the footman locked V
himself securely in the pantry. L
Robert was very mad about this, and
peremptorily forbade any more appoint /
ments of the kind being made. He y
would see all men servants at his own i
club in future.
So my life flowed evenly on for year =
or two, and my nephews and neices
came and went, and my doors flew open t
to them heartily. j
''Aunt Hannah y said Bobby one day, d
as he rushed in laden with an enormous a
hamper, 'tyou won't mind this standing
here just while I'm having luncheon, Sc
viii your It's only n badger fellow fG
has given me to take home. It's awful II
" Jolly ifyou'd like to have it out W
''No, thanks" / answered, with my fo
ocket-handkerchief to my nose; eve to
can stand the hamper down in the area. OIL
1t isn't exactly sweet, you know, Bob to
BY" to
"Not sweet! Why it's only badger, ssy
and I can't stay long, because my train Ju
goes at 3, don't you know" gr
''But where's Tim p asked, looking de
beyond him to the empty hanson. m
''Oh? by-the-bye, l forgot" he mn on
swered promptly. "Tim's sickening for te1
The measles, they think, so mother m'
thought he had better not go home; tn
out as they won't keep him at old Bla- an
,ers," he continued, rs he flung himself lie
,heerily into an armchair in the sitting trc
'oom, che is to follow by the next train, of
md mother wrote that she was sure you g1'
wouldn't mind if he came straight to no
you, but l was to ask you, don't you tn
NOW" str
Here burst out laughing, and Bobby thi
ooked critically but approEingly at me, an
With both hands on his knees. an
81 say, Aunt Hannah,"" he blurted oti
ut, ''Tm never sure about you. Some ag
lines think you are seventy, and some an
ines you look seventeen, that's what DO
ou look now. l don't believe you're tho
alf as old-maidish as the girls think grl
ou." ly
'Thank you, Bobby" I said, kissing
is jolly fat cheek, 81 don't feel like yo
evenly yet, aud what a dear old boy saE
on will be when am But now about up
i'm. was going to have party to- gu
light, and measles won't do well with do
hat"
But it had to do, inasmuch as there sat
as no time to mt off anvbodv and lea
the party" got as far as my closed front ha
oor. where tbey were met bv nm aff,bIe asl
oliceman, on duty for the purpose at no
We shillings for the Job, who informed loN
hem with bated breath that ''there was WI
infection in the 'ouse," and the grind WI
NJ yx-haalC oil fhoE 7 6 fin
,uests for long while afterwards. IN!
One of them, wishing to combine mi
lindness and caution, sent me a note of he
enquiry. m'
"Dear Hannah-How is your nephew
,ut please, dear, don't send an an M
swer.'' fr'
Tim was dear fellow, and L did not dc
,atch the measles. He too was compli- Dr
nentary and encouraging about my age 1t
md infirmities, and went SO far as to
Wonder if hadn't been rather pretty tu
yhen [ was young. III
That night, as Ailsie was brushing ha
ny rebellious locks, 1 ventured on a on
imid inquiry. "Ailsie, DEAR" / said,
n wheedling accents, "was 1 ever at all fol
when L was young? ?" an
"When you was what, my dearie % sal
"Young, Ailsie-young." no
"Well, answered the dear old thing, th'
oising the brush in the air. '1t's so 1at
ong ago. you see, Miss Hannah you
ant expect me to throw my memory 70
,ack SO far" loJ
'tAh, don't tease me, Ailsie; / really
want to know" 1 pleaded. tn;
''Wel, then, my dear, you was, and wi
what's more, you are; and that's the Gl
gospel truth, and many's the one that
thinks Sesame as me- "
Why should 1 care2 and yet did. It ca
was not because l was too ugly, then, IIy
that Mike had escaped from me- Other ma nj
people had at times talked nonsense to ri ri
me, when my heart had been too weary I'll
TO take much heed, and my sister-in- w
law had chidden me for not responding .
when the takers had been eligible. All III II
that seemed long ages ago, and now 1 " "
was solitary and moderately rich wo- " "
man, with a house of my own, and n %
parrot and terrier; and [ could be and -
was of use to many of my family, whose 10 10
motto was as of Old-"she -
won't mind;" and no one guessed that [ -,
was g,ad l was not ugly. Had they y,
been asked what my opinion might have >
been on the subject they would have, as ,,z
usual, believed me indifferent. If /
passed as "good creature" there were
but a few steps to go to arrive at the l.
fool. maybe. Tins good opinion Ity ~